The four Irish memorial keepsakes carry the same information but live very different lives. One goes behind glass, one lives in a missal, one lives in a purse, and one goes in the post. Choosing well is mostly about picturing where the card ends up.
Side by side
Every format is printed on 350gsm board, laminated, full colour both sides, and supplied with envelopes.
| Format | Size | Wording space | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folding memorial card | 105 × 148mm folded | Highest — long verse plus a prayer | Behind glass, in a memory box |
| Memorial bookmark | 55 × 175mm | Six to eight lines | In a missal, novel or bedside book |
| Wallet card | Credit card size | Four short lines | In a purse or wallet, carried daily |
| Thank you card | Landscape | A short message of thanks | Posted to those who sympathised |
Folding memorial cards
The traditional choice, and the one most often handed out at the mass. Two panels give room for a long verse, a prayer, a second photograph or a family message, and the card stands up on a shelf without a frame.
Memorial bookmarks
Bookmarks are the format people keep using rather than storing. Because they stay in a missal or a novel, they are seen far more often than a card behind glass, and the laminate means they survive years of handling.
The layout puts the photograph at the top, the heading beneath it, then the name, dates and a verse — a natural reading order for a tall, narrow keepsake.
Wallet cards
Pocket-sized, laminated and carried. Wallet cards suit the widest circle — workmates, club members, neighbours — because they take up no room and nobody has to find a place for them.
Space is genuinely tight, so choose a four line verse and resist the temptation to add an extra address line.
Thank you cards
A different job entirely: acknowledging the people who called to the house, sent mass cards, travelled to the funeral or helped in the days afterwards. They are usually posted three to six weeks after the funeral, often around the month's memory.
Keep the thanks here and the remembrance on the memorial card, rather than trying to do both in one piece.
What most families actually order
A common combination is 100 folding cards for the mass, 100 bookmarks or wallet cards for the wider circle, and a smaller run of thank you cards afterwards. Because the tiers are shared, you can split quantities across formats without a price penalty.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a memorial card and a memorial bookmark?
- A folding memorial card is A6 when folded and holds a long verse and a prayer. A bookmark is 55 × 175mm, holds six to eight lines, and is designed to stay in use inside a missal or book.
- Can I order more than one format?
- Yes, and most families do. Folding cards for the mass and wallet cards or bookmarks for the wider circle is the most common combination.
- Which memorial format lasts longest?
- All are laminated 350gsm board. Bookmarks and wallet cards get handled the most, and the laminate is what keeps them looking well over years of use.
Need help with a memorial card?
Design and VAT are included, and we will email or WhatsApp a proof before anything is printed.
Talk to our design team